


would you believe in a love at first sight?

by janie_tangerine



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied or Off-stage Rape/Non-con, Matchmaking, Past Abuse, Rape Recovery, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 08:11:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janie_tangerine/pseuds/janie_tangerine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>they meet at a rape survivors group and grow attracted to each other but are both too shy to make a move at first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	would you believe in a love at first sight?

**Author's Note:**

> written for an asoiaf kink meme prompt which is the summary of this. Also, it was probably clear from the tags (and this is basically modern au fluffland, as far as it goes), but anyway: I tagged it with the rape/non-con warning but none of that actually happens in the fic, it's all in flashbacks at most. Nothing belongs to me (no news), the title is from the Beatles.

1.

“I’m ridiculous. I’m just - I’m fucking ridiculous.”

“Theon, you’re not.”

He looks up at Robb and shakes his head. “No. No, I am. At least, I _feel_ fucking ridiculous. I mean, that’s not - I never had that problem out of everything, damn it!”

He just hates that he’s even discussing this, and when Robb puts a hand on his arm and gives it a calming squeeze or ten he’s almost grateful for it.

“Theon. Hey. Just take a breath and calm down. It’s fine. You don’t have to feel ridiculous. And I’m pretty sure _she_ doesn’t think that you are, so how about you take another breath and tell me what the problem is again? I mean, you said that she’s kind of staring, too, right?”

He takes two deep breaths and goes over it again. He thinks about the first time he saw Jeyne at the support group - she had her hair tied up in a bun but she had let it loose at some point mid-session, and she had the kindest brown eyes, and maybe she wasn’t exactly what you’d call a smashing beauty but she was just so lovely to look at. Not to mention that she was perfectly polite to everyone when they introduced, and she had smiled this small but sincere grin that had kind of done him in. And then when she had told about being a TA for her former thesis advisor, who had turned out to be more interested in something other than her academic skills, her voice had been straight the entire time, and she had never flinched or stopped more than twice. He had thought, _I could never say it all like that and just after three sessions_. “I guess? I mean, sometimes I’m looking her way and she looks back and at some points… you know when you feel like someone is staring at you? Well, sometimes it happens and when I look up she’s just started looking down and blushing, and - she’s just _nice_ , you know? She’s always smiling at everyone and she’s there handing out tissues if - well, you get it, and she actually spoke up like the third time after she first showed up, which automatically -“

“Stop right there. If you’re about to say that it automatically means that you’re ridiculous just because it took you a month, just spare me that.”

He keeps his mouth shut and tries not to say it. Rationally, he knows that it’s just stupid and that he should have done that when he was ready, and it wasn’t even all of it, but it’s making him feel strangely inadequate.

“All right, I won’t. And I just - I like her, all right? But whenever I think that I should just go and ask if I can buy her coffee, I can’t. It’s - two years ago I wouldn’t have even thought about it twice, now I just freeze and decide that if she tells me no - well, better not going through the humiliation. I’m fucking ridiculous. And - well, I mean, even if she was interested she’s probably better off if someone else asks her out.”

Robb’s face has gone straight to concerned right now. “Shit, you’re being serious, aren’t you?”

“I think it’s pretty accurate.”

“Jesus, no. First thing, maybe if she’s interested you should ask her first. But other than that… listen, do you trust my judgment at least some?”

“Guess so?”

“All right. Now look at me while I tell you that you’re not damaged goods or bad news or whatever you’re thinking that you are. You don’t know that. And whatever that asshole thought about the matter, it’s _not_ true. It’s not true that no one in their right mind would date you and it’s definitely not true that she’s better off with someone else. Especially if it looks like she’s interested. I mean - fuck, this might sound a tad insensitive so - well, sorry in advance, but considering where you met, do you really think she would think something like that?”

Theon takes a breath and shakes his head again. Advantages of having a best friend who can talk to you rationally - he’s half-sure that if it hadn’t been for Robb he’d have never set foot out of the house ever again in his life, at times.

“I know she wouldn’t, but - I just can’t stop assuming that.”

“Fine, but it doesn’t make you ridiculous.”

“Well, there’s also - another thing.”

“Like?”

“I was - I was planning to just say the rest, one of these days. You know I never told the whole story. And - I guess I don’t want to try if she doesn’t know what she’s getting into first.”

He can pinpoint the moment Robb’s eyes go soft at once, and his body loses tension at once when Robb puts an arm around his shoulder. “When were you planning to do that?”

“I figured tomorrow. Better do it when I don’t have too much time to change my mind.”

“What if I come with you and you at least show her to me? I mean, I’m pretty curious by now. And I could confirm if she’s really checking you out, not that I think it’s that impossible.”

Bless Robb for never making him ask things he’s too embarrassed to ask. “All right. Sure. And - wait, what?”

“Come on, you’re not exactly hard on the eyes, are you? Of course she might check you out. Stop thinking that no one would.”

“I guess.” Better not press the issue. “So - so you’re fine with coming?”

“Of course I am.” Robb’s eyes narrow for a moment, then he shakes his head almost fondly. “Right. I know that face.”

“What face?”

“The one that says _I need a hug and I’m too emotionally impaired to ask._ Get over here, idiot.”

He does, and as Robb’s arms close around his shoulders he can’t help thinking that he feels pathetic and that he shouldn’t be taking it like this. Then he just stops and holds back tighter.

2.

“I feel like I’m twelve again, you know?”

Sansa nods as Jeyne shakes her head and grabs a fry from the plate in between them. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing though.”

“I guess not,” Jeyne agrees, “but - I just wish I could make a move. Not that I ever did that much even before professor Baelish, but he’s - at times I think he looks at me.” She blushes just slightly at that, and Sansa vows to herself to find a way to convince Jeyne to actually give this a go - she hasn’t seen her blush like that for months, not since she found her in tears in the university’s bathroom with a rip in her sundress and they had gone to press charges against Baelish not even an hour later.

“Really?”

“I don’t know, sometimes he looks my way and then when I try not to show that I had been doing the same he always looks surprised. Like he can’t even wrap his head around it. The thing - he looks so sad, you know? Most of the time he’s just sitting in the back and looking at people and not saying anything, but - damn, I feel horrible for even thinking this.”

“Come on, what?”

“He’s just so handsome, you know? Dark hair, dark eyes, maybe he’s a bit thin but the thing is that if only he smiled once in a while he’d be just gorgeous, and I feel - why would he even look at me twice?” The description makes Sansa feel as if she’s missing a piece of the puzzle - she’s pretty sure she knows someone that looks like that, but it’s kind of vague. She should just not let it bother her.

“Jeyne, really?”

“I’m - I’m not really - I mean, I know I’m not horrible to look at, but he could do better than me.”

“How do you even know that? And - seriously, stop doing yourself a disservice. There’s nothing wrong with you. Regardless of what that poor excuse for a human being ever told you.”

Jeyne sighs and eats the last of the fries.

“It’s just - every time that I think about maybe asking him if he wants to eat something when we’re done I just - I just can’t. I can’t even think of a way to start a conversation and - that’s why I feel like I’m twelve. Damn.”

The thing is that Jeyne is kind of half-smiling as she speaks about this mystery guy, her cheeks flushing redder, and - well, Sansa isn’t the kind of person who will just stand by when she can do something to help. And Jeyne’s been her best friend since kindergarten and it seems like this mystery guy could make her happy, unless he turns out to be an ass. But considering where they met, Sansa is pretty sure it’s not the case.

“You know what? I’m curious now. You’re going tomorrow, yes?”

“I am, why?”

“I feel like I’m twelve again, too, by this point. I’ll just come with you and you show him to me, how about it? And then I can tell you if he’s really into you.”

“You - you would?”

“Of course. And if he is, I’ll bug you until you ask him out.”

“Good luck with that,” Jeyne replies, but she’s half-smiling as she says it.

Fine, so maybe she looks like a twelve year-old with a crush. And it’s a good look on her. Better than most Sansa’s seen on her lately. And - fine. Sansa just wants her to have what she wants after the hell she went through with Baelish - she still feels like a failure for not having noticed that the creeper had been molesting her for two months. If this handsome mystery guy is what Jeyne wants, Sansa wants to help her get him. Even if she has to go herself to the guy’s face and tell him that her friend is ridiculously into him.

Right, she’s going to do that just if he’s into her as well, but Sansa doesn’t doubt that she’ll be able to see it, if he is.

3.

Theon is looking like he’s going to faint as Robb parks the car.

“Hey, are you sure? You don’t have to do it, you know.”

“No. No, I need it off my chest, and not just with you. It’s fine. I mean, I’ll be fine. Just - stick by?”

Robb hasn’t known Theon for most of his life for nothing and he gets what it means that he asked out loud. “Sure. Not going anywhere. Come on, let’s get in and show me your fairytale princess, will you?”

“Stark, shut your fucking mouth.”

Well, a bit better. Robb follows him out and into the building where the meetings are held - he hadn’t thought that Theon would actually start attending them when Robb brought him the flyer that he had found at work, but he’s been doing somewhat better since he did and at least they also allow friends and family to go with, which is a good thing right now. Robb says hi to half of the people in the room already - he’s come here enough times that he at least knows their first name.

“She here yet?” he asks as he sits down behind Theon - there’s a circle of chairs and one at the center for whoever leads the discussion, and friends or parents are supposed not to take the first-row places.

“No, but it’s not starting for fifteen minutes at least.”

Theon’s mystery girl doesn’t show up though, not until the person moderating the discussion walks inside the room.

And then two other people do the same, almost running.

Robb almost gapes when he sees his sister and her best friend Jeyne Poole apologizing for being late - their bus got stuck in the traffic.

He looks at Theon - his eyes have gone wide too. And then he leans down and hisses in Robb’s ear. “Is that your sister?”

“Yeah, and she’s her best friend - they’ve been since kindergarten or something but I don’t think you ever met her? Why, it’s her?”

“Yes,” Theon replies miserably. Robb spares a look at the other two, sitting at the opposite side of the circle - Sansa’s expression is most probably matching his own and they’re looking their way. Jeyne is blushing.

Well, that solves his doubts about Jeyne being interested. She is.

“Don’t be like that. Come on, what’s the problem?”

“She’s - I can’t if she’s your sister’s -“

“My sister isn’t a problem. Now breathe in and do what you wanted to, if you still feel like it. It’s okay. It doesn’t change anything.”

He squeezes Theon’s shoulder for good measure - and yes, Sansa had told them, but he hadn’t really thought that _Jeyne_ could be the person Theon meant. Well, it’s a small world, isn’t it?

The moderator starts welcoming them and thanking them for being there, and Robb feels kind of horrible for doing it but no one is seeing him right now and Theon can’t see his left hand.

He takes his cell from his pocket and texts Sansa.

_Need to talk to you. We’re here for the same reason, aren’t we?_

The answer – _yes_ – arrives a moment later. The moderator is still talking about some meeting they will have with a professional counselor this week-end, so he figures it’s not rude if he answers until people actually start talking.

_Suspected so. Tell me she’s into him._

He waits five seconds and then his screen flashes.

_Tell me he’s into her._

He looks at his sister from behind Theon’s shoulder - he nods. She sends him an almost devilish grin and then looks back at her cell. Robb’s screen flashes again.

_The four of us. Dinner. Later. Then we’re leaving the two of them to sort it out. Y/y?_

He bites his tongue so that he doesn’t grin overtly.

_Y._

Then they stop because the first person has stood up.

Theon doesn’t go first - he waits until a couple of people have spoken up, and then when the moderator asks if someone wants to share their story, he raises his hand. He doesn’t stand though, and Robb figures that no one will get wrong impressions - Sansa especially - if he wraps his fingers around Theon’s wrist as he starts speaking up. He’s probably the only person (besides Ramsay Bolton and a number of policemen) who knows the entire story, and he knows exactly how hard it is to get it out. Actually, when it get to the worst part and Theon’s voice starts shaking he moves his fingers downwards and holds his hand outright - fuck, just thinking about Theon calling him sounding as if he had been crying for hours and asking him to come get him at his boyfriend’s place makes his blood boil. Then he remembers how he had found him (split lip, two broken fingers, sprained ankle, a nail torn off, both eyes black, no shoes, torn clothes and blood everywhere, and then he had known for sure that the _I fell down the stairs_ crap he had been fed for the last six months had been, well crap) and it doesn’t make anything to brighten his mood, and as Theon goes over that part ( _at that point I was thinking that it was hopeless, but.. he said he would be away for a while and I figured it was then or never and so I called him_ ) he glances at the other side of the circle. Sansa looks as if she wants to vomit, but not surprised - she did know some vague details. Jeyne… Jeyne looks horrified, but because of the story. She’s not looking at Theon as if she changed her mind, which at least puts one of Theon’s doubts to rest. Not that Robb had thought it would be an issue, but still.

He looks at Sansa. She gives him a tight nod. He nods back.

Theon is done talking not long later and he looks exhausted as he says that it’s the whole story and that he’s never regretting having pressed charges and damn that was exhausting, and he also looks mildly embarrassed as the entire room starts clapping, and - Jeyne looks like she might start crying, but she’s looking at him with uttermost respect at the same time.

Right. That’d confirm that Theon really has nothing to worry about. It’s high time that he gets something nice coming his way, and from what he knows it’s the same for Jeyne. Well then, dinner it is.

4.

“Jeyne. No.”

“But - they were holding hands, I think that I shouldn’t -”

“Jeyne. Take a deep breath and let me tell you something, and you have to trust me on it, but I like to think I know how my brother ticks.”

“All right.”

“Good. So, he and Theon? Hugest bromance ever. _But_ , my brother is hopelessly into women. He’s also the kind of guy who’s so much into women that he - well, he really doesn’t give a shit if he does something that might not look manly or whatever you’d call it. Also, well, I guess it was clear from that story - when that went down you’d barely see him at home because he had been at Theon’s place most of the time and they’re wired like that, but they’re definitely not a thing. And, he’s actually just confirmed me that he’s totally into you. Theon, obviously, not him.”

“He did what?”

“He did. So, stop fretting, come into that diner and go for it.”

“But -”

“No buts. He’s into you. You’re obviously into him. You’re not getting out of this. I mean, at least you have an excuse to talk to him, don’t you?”

“I - I guess?”

“Good. So, let’s go.”

Jeyne follows Sansa inside the diner where Theon and Robb are already seated - god, she feels so embarrassed she could just run back home and hide under the covers for the next week. But then - when Robb introduces them, Theon looks at her strangely, his cheeks going slightly pink, and - may it be that Sansa is right? But no, it can’t be. That’s - that’s not what happens. Really, it isn’t. She can hear Baelish saying it clearly enough - _my dear, you can’t certainly believe that you can do better, can you?_ \- and there’s just no way that Theon likes _her_.

They all sit down and she looks down at the napkin in her lap when Sansa’s phone rings.

“Sorry, a text. Oh. Hey, Robb, that’s mom, she’s asking me if I can call her but she wants to talk to you, too.”

“Sure. We’ll be back in five, all right?”

“Fine, Stark, go _talk to your mom_.”

“Oh, shut your mouth.” Robb gives him a pat on the back and then he’s off with Sansa, and -

The next five minutes are horribly awkward. She looks down at her lap, and then up at Theon, who had been looking at her but suddenly seems very enamored with his cutlery, and then the waiter comes at the side of the table.

“Your friends just told me that they had to leave for some family related matters,” the kid says. “But they also paid for your dinner. I mean, they left enough that I’m pretty sure it’d cover it and give me a decent tip, so just order whatever you want and call me when you’re done, all right?”

The two of them quickly look through the menu, and it’s obvious that they both order the first edible dish they see. The waiter takes the order and leaves them to their fate.

 _She can’t have done that_ , Jeyne thinks in a panic, and then her cell rings.

And Theon’s does at the same time.

She brings hers out and reads the text. _Don’t mess this one up, Poole. Or I’ll just do it again_.

“Stark, I’m going to kill you,” Theon hisses, but he’s also blushing like nothing else. He looks kind of adorable right now.

“What - what happened?”

“This is fucking embarrassing.”

“Can’t be more embarrassing than what Sansa just texted me.”

“… Is this one of those ‘I’ll show you mine and you’ll show me yours’ moments?” he asks before he suddenly looks embarrassed for real. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t really -”

“No. No, it’s all right. Actually - I guess it could be?”

She hands him the phone and takes his.

The text is from Robb. It says _go get her, tiger_.

Jeyne can’t help it - she laughs when she sees it, and when she looks up at Theon he looks… like someone who really likes what he’s seeing?

This doesn’t make sense.

“Can I ask you something?” they both say at the same time, and then he starts laughing again, almost as if he can’t really believe that this is happening, and she has to do the same because there’s really nothing else she can do right now.

“You go first,” she says when she’s gotten a hold of herself again.

“Right. Uh. Listen, does this mean that - that you’d actually let me buy you dinner one of these days? Without those two having paid for it.”

Oh. Oh. _Oh_.

So Sansa was right. She feels like she’s about to hyperventilate.

“… It does.” Her voice is barely audible. “I mean. If you want to.”

“Fuck, I’ve been wanting to do it since the first time you attended.”

“Really?”

He looks down at his hands and then up at her - now that she notices, there are two fingers on his left hand that are bent a bit wrong.

“Really. I just - I wasn’t sure if you were interested and to be honest I didn’t want to - well, bother you if you didn’t want to… do the whole dating business altogether.”

She can tell that he’s not saying something, but she’s not going to push.

“And what if I am? Because - uhm. I am. Interested, I mean.”

“Even after hearing - that? It’s - I get it if you’re not. Fuck knows how Robb deals with me, I wouldn’t expect -”

“Are you joking?”

He looks straight at her then, his elbows on the table. He also looks… surprised?

“No. I’m not exactly the poster boy for adjusted boyfriend. Shit, my dad has refused to talk to me for the last two years or so on the grounds that if I let all of that happen to me then we weren’t related, I don’t see much to be interested in.”

“I thought _you_ couldn’t ever be interested,” she replies, momentarily forgetting the awkwardness. “I mean, it’s not like I ever had men fighting to ask me out. Actually - I said that _he_ was my first, right? He always used to tell me that I shouldn’t say anything about it because - well, he’d have me fired, of course, but also that I - that I was too average-looking and who would have me if not him? Why - why would you even look at me twice? I mean, you’re - uh - you could probably do better if you tried.”

“Wow. No. Really, don’t. I really couldn’t. And - shit, this is probably something I shouldn’t say this soon.”

“Go for it.”

“That son of a bitch had it completely wrong. I mean, I can barely remember how you do this kind of thing and you might regret it after ten minutes, but I can assure you, I would love to buy you dinner. More than once.”

“Then can I tell you that your dad is as much of a son of a bitch as my former boss? Because - seriously, when I heard that the only thing I could think of was that you must have guts of steel. Considering what went down, you seem pretty adjusted to me. Everything considered.”

He looks about to answer, his eyes still wide as if he doesn’t process the information, but the food gets there a moment later and they’re both saved from the rest of that conversation. She eats her hamburger and he eats his, they share the fries and sometimes he looks at her as if he really doesn’t want to fuck this up and she still thinks that this must be some ridiculous kind of dream where everything goes the way she hopes for, and then she really can’t eat anymore and refuses dessert. He does as well, saying that he can’t possibly eat more either. Then he takes a deep breath.

“Right. So - could I walk you home or I’m presuming too much?”

“No. I mean, you’re not presuming. Yes, you could. I don’t live that far, anyway. I’m starting to think they picked this diner because of that, too.”

“All right then. Uh, lead the way I guess.”

They walk in silence for a handful of minutes, and then she takes another deep breath and decides that she’s not going to chicken out of that conversation.

“I meant it before, you know. Whoever hears that story and thinks that you _let_ it happen to you is an idiot. God, if it had happened to me I don’t even know if I’d have left my room ever again.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, at times I still don’t understand how I actually do set foot out of the house. But I guess I’m good now. I mean, as far as it gets.”

He doesn’t sound entirely sure of himself though, and in a moment of boldness that comes upon her, Jeyne reaches out and takes his hand. For a moment she thinks that she got it wrong - he stops and looks down at their joined hands - but then he turns his palm against hers and threads their fingers and she thinks that her heart might be pounding hard enough to break out of her chest.

“Shit,” he says, “I don’t think I’ve ever done this before.”

“You mean -”

“Not with anyone I liked that way. Robb doesn’t count, if you were wondering.”

“I - I haven’t either. As stated. He was my first.”

They look at each other and then he breaks down laughing and she follows him - she was right, he really looks gorgeous when he smiles - because this is just so absurd that you just can’t not, and meanwhile he’s still holding hands with her.

“We make a pair, don’t we?” He asks a minute later, still sounding out of breath.

“I guess I can’t disagree with that. It’s - it’s nice though.”

“I can’t disagree with that either.”

They walk the rest of the way in silence, his fingers still touching hers, and she can feel that the middle and ring ones on his hand were broken at some point, but overall? It feels great. She likes it. She wants to do it again. Possibly with him. And before she knows, she’s in front of her door and she’s this tempted to tell him to come in for a drink or something, but she’s honestly never done this with anyone and she doesn’t know how it would look.

“Well. Thank you.” She doesn’t let his hand go, though. He looks down at her, and his cheeks are turning slightly pink, and she thinks she wants to kiss him, but doesn’t dare ask.

“My pleasure. So. Uhm. About that dinner I should pay for. What about tomorrow? Without those two interrupting with texts, hopefully.”

“Oh. Yes. Sure. Tomorrow is perfect.”

“I can pick you up at eight?”

“That’s good. I can be ready at eight.”

“Good. Perfect. And - fuck, listen, I’m going to save us a problem - I’m just gonna go now. I know you might be wondering if you should ask me upstairs or not... and we probably should just take this slow. But - I don’t want to presume anything, so if you don’t want to just tell me to fuck off.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Can I kiss you?”

He’s almost grimacing now, as if he expects her to tell him no, and - all right. Fine. This is happening. She might as well stop fretting and just go with it.

“Next time don’t ask,” she replies, and then he smiles again and before she knows he’s leaned down and kissed her fully, and oh _wow_ but this is nothing like what she’s had until now. He’s not exactly pushing, not until she parts her lips, and then his tongue is running across hers gently, his free hand cupping the back of her neck, and he’s putting so much intent in it that her knees almost buckle.

Maybe he feels it, because he stops holding her hand and puts an arm around her waist and it really doesn’t matter where and how they met, for that moment she feels like some sort of princess from the fairytales her mother used to read her, and she reaches up, her hands going to his cheeks as she kisses back. She had kind of been expecting chaste kissing and she was never happier to be wrong.

When they part, he’s panting, but he’s also smiling and his teeth are all showing and she kind of wants to kiss him again.

“Tomorrow then?” He asks, and she likes that he’s sounding very sure of himself right now.

“You’d better be on time.”

He laughs again and kisses her cheek before he lets her go - she takes out her keys and opens the door, and when she turns to look at him, he has his back to her and leaving the same way they came from.

_Tomorrow._

Jeyne smiles to herself and figures that she owes Sansa a call when she’s home, but as she walks up the stairs she can’t help thinking about that kiss and grinning without even trying to put a stop to it.

It feels great. She hopes that it’s the same for him, but she thinks that she’s right on this.

End.


End file.
